In Whatever State, Be Content

Lois Evans GPWN President
Published Sep 09, 2003

Sometimes we have to be careful that our comfortable surroundings don’t keep us from getting up, moving forward, and fulfilling God’s plan for us. When we reflect upon Esther’s time of preparation, it was for the most part a lovely experience. She was pampered, beautified, and kept from any sort of unnecessary stress. Other than the inevitable jealous squabbles that probably broke out in the king’s harem, Esther had few problems. She was surrounded by luxury, fed the finest foods, and clothed in the most beautiful garments. She lacked nothing and had little to fear. Then she heard the news about Mordecai. For some reason he was fasting, was ripping his clothes, was acting like a desperate man. When she inquired about his behavior, she was told about Haman’s terrible plot against the Jewish people. Mordecai had a specific message for Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews” (Esther 4:13). “Don’t kid yourself, Esther,” Mordecai was saying. “You may be living in the lap of luxury today, but once this edict to kill all the Jews is acted upon, your heritage will be found out. You’ll be murdered along with the rest of us.”

Little by little, Esther must have forgotten that she was in a unique situation. Days of preferential treatment had caused her to put out of her mind the miracle that she had ever found her way into the palace to begin with. She had grown used to the idea she was the king’s favorite. She was a rising star. Maybe she’d imagined that she had done it all on her own. But now a cold tide of reality swept away the last traces of her fantasy. Her sense of complacency was shattered. She could no longer remain in a place of blissful delight. Mordecai wouldn’t let her. Her heart wouldn’t let her. And God had a better idea.

What do you do when there is no way out of a situation? You plotted and planned and still you’re stuck. Like the decision some make to stay home with their children, what keeps you there, even when the walls are closing in? Sometimes it is only commitment, nothing else. We simply decide to be content with the commitment we have made, and let the chips fall where they may.

For Such a Time as This,

Lois Evans

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